During Barack Obama's speech before the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Phoenix, Arizona, the president reaffirmed his pledge to withdraw US troops from Iraq and continue the fight against al-Qaida. Obama also vowed to rid America of another vexing problem: the bloated defence budget.
He said: "Every dollar wasted in our defence budget is a dollar we can't spend to care for our troops, protect America or prepare for the future."
To illustrate the point, Obama joked about the absurdity of a proposed $11.2bn upgrade to the fleet of helicopters that ferry him and other administration officials around Washington.
The president received a few laughs from the veterans' group with this line: "Maybe you heard about this. Among other capabilities, it would let me cook a meal while under nuclear attack. I'll tell you something. If the United States of America is under nuclear attack, the last thing on my mind will be whipping up a snack."
Turning more serious, the president said: "It's simple enough. Cut the waste. Save taxpayer dollars. Support the troops."
